segh-

To hold. Oldest form *seg̑h-, becoming *segh- in centum languages.

Derivatives include hectic, eunuch, scheme, and scholar.

1. Suffixed form *segh-es-. Siegfried, from Old High German sigu, sigo, victory, from Germanic *sigiz-, victory (< “a holding or conquest in battle”).

2. hectic; cachexia, cathexis, entelechy, eunuch, Ophiuchus, from Greek ekhein, to hold, possess, be in a certain condition, and hexis, habit, condition.

3. Possible suffixed (abstract noun) form *segh-wēr, toughness, steadfastness, with derivative *segh-wēr-o-, tough, stern. severe; asseverate, persevere, from Latin sevērus, stern;

b. sthenia; asthenia, calisthenics, hypersthene, hyposthenia, thrombosthenin, from Greek sthenos, physical strength, from a possible related abstract noun form *sgh-wen-es- (with zero-grade of the root).

4. O-grade form *sogh-. epoch, from Greek epokhē, “a holding back,” pause, cessation, position in time (epi-, on, at; see epi).

5. Zero-grade form *sgh-.

a. scheme, from Greek skhēma, “a holding,” form, figure;

b. scholar, scholastic, scholium, school¹, from Greek skholē, “a holding back,” stop, rest, leisure, employment of leisure in disputation, school.

6. Reduplicated form *si-sgh-. ischemia, from Greek iskhein, to keep back.

 

[Pokorny seg̑h- 888.]

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